While the Library of Congress is known for housing a treasure trove of materials ripe for the scholarly plucking, any library is only as good as the access it can provide to information. The accessibility of the collections—that less tangible but essential asset—is made possible by the Library’s employees, who possess a remarkable set of …
The following is a guest post by David H. Plylar, Concert Office. On Thursday, November 29th, the Library of Congress will present the outstanding Baroque ensemble La Risonanza in cooperation with the Embassy of Italy and the Italian Cultural Institute of Washington, DC, in its first appearance in the United States. Half of the program …
Last week the Music Division learned that American film composer Richard Robbins (1940-2012) had passed away earlier this month of Parkinson’s disease. Robbins, a well-respected composer, made his mark on late 20th-century/early 21st-century film music, having composed for dozens of films and earning two Academy Award nominations in his career. He is survived by his …
The following is a guest post by Nicholas A. Brown, Music Specialist, Concert Office. GRAMMY-nominated British violinist Peter Sheppard Skærved returns to the Library of Congress this December for a fascinating examination of the Music Division’s Niccolò Paganini collection, which includes posters, playbills, letters, manuscripts and memorabilia collected by the legendary violin virtuoso himself. This …
The following is a guest post by Nicholas A. Brown, Music Specialist, Concert Office. Here in the Concert Office we are all very excited for the upcoming launch of our LIBRARY LATE series on Friday, November 30! Anything but your average concert experience, LIBRARY LATE offers you an enjoyable evening out at the Atlas Performing …
The following is a guest post by Senior Music Cataloger Sharon McKinley. My colleague Mary Wedgewood and I were recently chatting about all our former interns and volunteers, and how much we’ve enjoyed working with them. Some were training for library work. Some wanted to be performers. And a few just happened across our paths …
The following is a guest post from Senior Music Specialist Loras John Schissel, Curator of the Victor Herbert exhibit currently on display in the Performing Arts Reading Room and now available as an online exhibit. Regarded as the most famous American composer of his era, Victor Herbert was born in Dublin, Ireland on February 1, …
The following is a guest post from Music Specialist David H. Plylar. We were all saddened by the loss on Monday of the great American composer Elliott Carter, who passed away at the age of 103. A colleague of mine mentioned that given Carter’s nonstop productivity, we were all unconsciously assuming that he was eternal. …
The following is a guest post by Nicholas A. Brown, Music Specialist, Concert Office. John Philip Sousa (1854-1932), the famed composer and bandmaster, holds a very special place in the history of Washington, D.C., the Library of Congress, and of course, the United States. The John Philip Sousa Collection, which includes music manuscripts, photographs, literary …
The following is a guest post by David H. Plylar, Music Specialist, Concert Office. Update: Out of concern for our patrons’ safety and in consideration of the extreme weather in the Washington area, the Library of Congress has rescheduled the concert originally scheduled for Tuesday, October 30, 2012. LUCY: Song & Dance, an Opera without Words will …